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Safety aboard the BT Global Challenge fleet goes beyond the standards required by the Department
of Transport and Bureau Veritas. But reliability is the watchword.
There is no room for error. A flare that won't fire or a lifejacket that refuses to inflate can
cost lives.
LIFEJACKETS
Accidental inflation of lifejackets, whether they are being worn on the foredeck or stored in their
bags, can be not only annoying but dangerous! Special modifications have been made to the model
designed for the BT Global Challenge by XM Yachting. The result is the super-reliable Challenge
lifejacket.
LIFERAFTS
2 x 8 man RFD liferafts (under the helmsman's seat) and a single 6 man liferaft (in the gas bottle box)
will be available in an emergency. When they hit the water, a hard tug will inflate the liferafts.
FLARES / LOCATION DEVICES
McMurdo EPIRBS (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons) are being used throughout the fleet.
Any yacht that is disabled or endangered automatically releases an EPIRB which floats to the
surface and transmits a distress signal on the 406 MHz frequency. Aircraft and a network of COSPAS
SARSAT satellites can relay the signals to land-based co-ordination centres which would identify
the distressed yacht and direct search-and-rescue craft to the location.
Flares are supplied by Pains-Wessex. In an emergency, breaking the cap and seal sets off an
intense pyrotechnic light which would hopefully be seen by aircraft or a passing vessel. There is
a combination of red and white rocket flares, red and white pin point flares, lifesmoke and
dyemarker flares.
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS / BLANKETS
All yachts will be carrying 7 fire extinguishers, distributed throughout the yacht, and also 2 fire
blankets.
MAN OVERBOARD EQUIPMENT
In the freezing waters of the Southern Ocean, there
must be no delay in a man overboard recovery. In such
conditions the victim must be removed from the water
horizontally as, if removed vertically, the pressure differential between
the water and air can result in the redistribution of blood
which ideally would be circulating around the body
core, to drain away suddenly to the legs - the resulting shock effect can kill!
For man oveboard recovery, all yachts will be carrying
a relatively new idea. The Tri-Buckle, produced by
Morglasco, is a simple trianglular shaped piece of PVC-coated polyester which is easy to use, weighs
only 2kg and is very compact to stow. Attached to the yacht, it is lowered into the water to allow the victim to swim inside and is then winched up, the victim being rolled onboard - simple but effective!
Lifebuoys: Horseshoe shaped lifebuoys can also be thrown
overboard to a victim in distress in the water.
Survival Suit: Provided by Musto, the HPX Ocean Drysuit is the perfect protection for working in
the toughest conditions, providing 2-3 hours survival time in 5oC water.
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